Bob Ratcliffe As Division Chief for the National Park Service’s Conservation, Recreation and Community Assistance Programs for the last three years, Bob Ratcliffe oversees the widely recognized Recreation, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, National Trails and National Rivers programs among others. These innovative programs help fulfill the NPS mission in working with partners to extend the benefits of parks, recreation and conservation to communities across the country. Previously, Bob served 24 years for the Bureau of Land Management in a variety of field and national leadership roles including over a dozen years as Deputy Assistant Director for Resources and Planning, and Division Chief for the National Recreation and Visitor Services Program. Mr. Ratcliffe has been successful in working with constituents, coalitions, partners and agency leadership to emphasize rivers, trails, recreation, conservation and community assistance as top priorities for the agencies and the Department. He helped guide the development of the President’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative, establishment of the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation (FICOR),and has helped shape the NPS’ Centennial efforts as well as Department’s strategic priorities for youth engagement and promoting economic and health benefits of outdoor recreation. Currently as a member for several the NPS leadership teams and other national strategic efforts to help define future roles for NPS and the Department of Interior in addressing urban challenges and identifying opportunities to support recreation opportunities on the public lands. He chairs the national FICOR working group.
As an avid outdoor enthusiast, Bob appreciates the far reaching values and benefits that outdoor recreation provides for individuals, communities and the nation. He has spent much of the last three decades developing new and progressive national policies promoting outdoor recreation, rivers and watershed protection, parks and protected areas, education and youth, and healthy active lifestyles.
Mr. Ratcliffe also has experience as a Congressional Fellow in the U.S. Senate, staffing environment, public lands, natural resource economics and landscape level planning issues. His background blends a range of public agency, educational and private sector experience as an Outward Bound instructor, university faculty member, public engagement specialist, wilderness ranger and manager, community planning and resource conservation consultant. He regularly enjoys many other outdoor activities with his family – particularly hiking, rafting, telemark skiing, and mountain bike riding.
